Package spring group



E. H. BLATTNER PACKAGE SPRING GROUP May 28, 1957 2 Sheets--Shee'l'l l Filed June 23. A1955 Pr. ||I lll.)

FIG. 2

Inventor; Emil 1:1. Blqtner his Atorney May 28, 1957 E. H. BLATTNER PACKAGE SPRING GROUP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 23. 1955 Inventor:

Emil H. B10/mer his Attorney United States Patent() PACKAGE SPRING GROUP Emil H. Blattner, Williamsville, N. Y., assignor to The Symington-Gould Corporation, Depew, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application .inne 23, 1955, Serial No. 517,430

8 Claims. (CL'267-9) This invention relates to a snubbing mechanism and more particularly to a so-called package spring group containing both supporting springs and snubbing means and insertable as a unit for snubbed resilient support of a bolster or other load-supporting member of a railway truck.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved package spring group wherein the snubbing means exert substantially constant resistance to oscillation of the supporting springs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package spring group in which shoes are levered into frictional contact with companion friction surfaces by spring means independent and unaffected by oscillations of the loadsupporting springs.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a package spring group in which a shoe, carried by a spring cap, is urged with substantially constant force into contact with an associated friction surface by action on a lever of a spring which reacts against a seat movable with the cap. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a package spring group wherein the friction shoes of the snubbing means are urged into frictional engagement with aS- sociated friction surfaces by vertically acting springs reacting against seats movable with one of the spring plates and on levers fulcrumed -on that plate, the levers and shoes being angleabiy associated so as to compensate for any relative angling of the spring plates.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved package spring group in which the several removable components of the snubbing means are supported by one of the spring plates and are readily installed or removed through a cap member separate from but attachable to and in service movable with that spring plate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the package spring group of the present invention with portions broken away and shown in section to more clearly illustrate certain of the details of construction.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 1 taken along the lines 2--2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the lines 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section, taken along the lines 4 4 of Figure 3.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved snubbing mechanism or package spring group ofthe present invention is designed for snubbed resilient support of a bolster or other load-supporting member (not shown) of a railway truck and in its most lgeneral application will t Fatented May 28, 1957 ICC be mounted in the window opening (not shown) of a side frame (not shown) between the side frame and bolster lin place of the usual supporting spring group. In the form illustrated, the package spring group is com'- prised of a bottom spring plate 1 and a top spring plate or spring cap 2, the plates normally seating, respectively, against the vertically spaced confronting faces (not shown) of a side frame and bolster and being held against lateral shifting relative thereto by suitable means such as the positioning studs 3 on the plates. Acting between and vertically spacing the spring plates are a plurality or group of supporting coil springs 4, here four in number and each confined at one of the corners of the spring group by positioning anges 5 on the spring plates.

The package spring group of the present invention dampens or snubs the periodic oscillations to which an unsnubbed coil spring is subject, by frictionally resisting the relative vertical movement of the upper and lower spring plates 1 and 2. The friction device or unit 6 by which this is accomplished is comprised of a pair of horizontally spaced, upstanding or vertically directed friction surfaces 7, which conveniently may form the inner faces of end walls 8 of a lower housing or casing 9 rigid with and upstanding from the bottom plate 1 and preferably of box or rectangular shape. As shown, the housing 9 extends transversely of the bottom spring plate 1 and preferably is disposed substantially centrally of the supporting springs 4, with its side walls 10 bowed outwardly towards their junction with the end walls 8 to conform to the curvature of the springs, so as to assist in positioning the latter. Into the housing 9 extend or project a pair of horizontally spaced friction shoesll, each of which confronts and has a friction face 12 adapted to rub against and frictionally engage one of the friction surfaces 7 on the housing.

The shoes 11 are intended to move with the top spring plate 2 during vertical movement of the latter relative to the bottom spring plate 1. The connection for this purpose is provided for each shoe by a lever or link 13, suspended from and fulcrumed on the top spring plate 2 and having a socketed connection with the shoe through an arcuately convex cylinder or ball 14 projecting from one of the members, here the shoe, and a correspondingly concave socket 15 in the other of the members, here the lever, This ball or, for the illustrated rectangular'shoes, preferred cylinder and socket connection, by angleablyor pivotally connecting the shoe and lever so that the shoe is enabled to angle or pivot relative to the lever, permits the shoe to maintain surface contact with the associated of the friction surfaces 7, regardless of relative angling movement between the spring plates transversely ofthe package spring group. y

The levers 13 preferably are of substantially L-shape with upstanding legs 16 fulcrumed or pivoted at their upper ends to the top spring plate 2 and lower horizontally directed legs 17 instanding from the lower extremities of the upstanding legs below and to one side of their ful-j crums. The aforementioned sockets 15 here are carried by the upstanding legs intermedia-te their extremities and below and on opposite sides of their fulcrums from the lower legs 17. For fulcruming or pivoting the levers to the top spring plate 2, there may be formed on the latter a pair of horizontally spaced, upwardly facing, cylindrically concave pockets, sockets or seats 1S, the semicylindrical surfaces 19 of which preferably are struck about axes which are substantially horizontal and normal to the adjacent friction surfaces 7 on the lower housing 9. The levers are designed to removably seat in and be suspended from the pockets 18, each for this purpose being provided at its upper end with a pair of semi-cylindrical trunnions 20, the associated pocket being correspondingly bifurcated to permit the upstanding leg 16 of the lever to project therebelow. The concave split surface 19 of each of the pockets 18 conveniently may be formed on a pair of brackets 21 instanding from and backed by side walls 22 of an upper housing 23:k confining `a well 24 extending vertically through the upper spring plate 2, intermediate its lateral extremities, the side walls 22 in turn preferably extending into and being guidingly received by the side walls of the lower housing 9. The well 24 preferably is substantially rectangular in shape with its side walls 22 joined to the level of the brackets by end walls 25, the latter terminating at that 'level so as not to interfere with movement of the levers.

For fulcruming the levers 13 outwardly about their seats 18, the instanding lower legs 17 of the levers, reinforced at their edges by webs 26 connected to the upstanding legs 16, are employed as lever arms by providing on each a substantially,horizontally directed, upwardly facing spring seat 27, each spaced inwardly, horizontally of its levers fulcrum and seating one of a pair of Vvertically acting coil springs 28. Opposing and spaced vertically from these seats are a pair of downwardly facing spring seats 29, formed on a cover plate 30 removably .seatable in the well 24 and held therein on assembly and .prior to application of the package spring group to a railway truck by a connecting pin 31 xed to the top spring plate as by spots of weld 32 and extending through holes 33 in the side walls 22 of the well 24 and aligned slots 34 in ears 35 depending from the cover plate. It will be noted that the slots 34 are vertically elongated and in the assembled relation of the several components of the package spring group shown in the accompanying drawings, are engaged at their lower ends by the connecting pin with the upper face of the cover plate slightly above that of the top spring plate. When the group is installed or assembled, the bolster or other load-supporting member will force the cover plate down to the level of the top spring plate, thus, through the elongation of the slots, relieving the connecting pin of forces under service conditions.

Reacting against the cover plate 30, and on the levers 13 inwardly of their fulcrums, the springs 28 of the snubbing device apply the necessary leverage to cause the levers to swing outwardly about their fulcrums and urge the friction faces 12 of the shoes 11 into frictional engagement with the friction surfaces 7 on the lower housing 9, thereby engendering friction and, through the consequent energy absorption, snubbing the oscillations of the supporting springs 4. Since both the upper and lower yspring seats 27 and 29 are on members movable with the top spring plate 2, the associated inner or snubbing springs 28 are not affected by and act entirely independently of any variations in the vertical spacing of the top and bottom spring plates. This independent action, coupled with the vertical dispostion of the friction surfaces 7 and the angleability of the shoes 11 relative to the levers 13 by which surface contact between these members is maintained, enables the friction device to develop substantially constant friction throughout the range of movement of the supporting springs.

Besides providing an eective reactance for the snubbing springs 28, the removable cover plate 30 affords a ready means for assembling and disassembling the several components of the snubbing device. Held in place after installation Aby the bolster or other supporting member against which vit and the top spring plate 2 bear so as to move in unison under service conditions and prior to installation by the connecting pin 31 when it in turn serves to hold the parts of the package spring group in assembled relation, the cover plate 30, when removed from the well 24 in the top spring plate 2, affords access to the interior of the package spring group and permits the movable components of the snubbing device to be inserted or removed therethrough.

, From the above detailed description, it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved package spring group which is of relatively simple and rugged construction, is readily assembled and disassembled and develops substantially constant friction throughout the range of movement of the supporting springs for effective snubbing of the oscillations of the latter. It should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included which do not depart from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, l claim:

l. In a package spring group, the combination with top and bottom spring plate members and a plurality of supporting coil springs acting therebetween, of a friction surface rigid with one of saidV members and extending toward said other member, shoe means frictionally engaging said friction surface, lever means fulcrumed on said other member and angleably connected to said shoe means, seat means movable with said other member, and spring means acting vertically between said lever and seat means for urging said shoe means into said frictonal engagement.

2. In a package spring group, the combination with top and bottom spring plate members and a plurality of supporting coil springs acting therebetween, cf a friction surface rigid with one of said members and extending toward said other member, shoe means frictionally engaging said friction surface, lever means fulcrumed on said other .member and angleably connected to said shoe means, seat means movable with said other member, and spring means reacting against said seat means and acting vertically on said lever means for urging said shoe means into said frictional engagement.

3. In a package spring group, the combination with top and bottom spring plate members and a pluralityl of supporting coil springs acting therebetween, of a friction surface rigid with one of said members and extending toward said other member, shoe means frictionally engaging said friction surface, lever means fulcrumed on said other member and angleably connected to said shoe means, seat means removably connected to and movable with said other member and normally interrupting an opening therein,A and spring means reacting against said seat means and acting vertically on said lever means for vurging said shoe means into said frictional engagement.

4. In a package spring group, the combination with top and bottom spring plates and a plurality of coil springs acting therebetween, of a housing rigid with and upstanding from said bottom spring plate, friction shoe means frictionally engaging said housing, lever means depending from and fulcrumed on said top spring plate and angleably connected to said shoe means, seat means movable with said top spring plate, and spring means reacting against said seat means and acting vertically on said lever means for urging said shoe means into said frictional engagement.

5. VInva package spring group, the combination with top and bottom spring plates and a plurality of coil springs acting therebetween, of horizontally spaced friction surfaces rigid with and upstanding from said bottom spring plate, horizontally spaced shoes each frictionally engaging one of said friction surfaces, horizontally spaced levers depen-ding from and fulcrumed on said top spring plate and each angleably connected to one of said shoes, an upwardly facing spring seat on each of said levers `and spaced horizontally from the fulcrum thereof, downwardly facing spring seat means movable with said top spring plate and opposing said spring seats, and a vertically acting spring between each of said seats and said seat means for urging the connected of said shoes into said frictional engagement with the associated of said friction surfaces.

6. `In a package spring group, the combination with top and bottom spring plates and a plurality of coil springs acting therebetween, of horizontally spaced friction surfaces rigid with and upstanding from said bottom spring plate, horizontally spaced shoes each frictionally engaging lone of said friction surfaces, horizontally spaced levers depending from and fulcrumed on said top spring plate and each angleably connected to one of said shoes, an upwardly facing spring seat on each of said levers and spaced below and horizontally from the fulcrum thereof, downwardly facing spring seat means movable with said top spring plate, and a vertically acting spring 'bctween each of said seats and said seat means for urging the connected of said shoes into said frictional engagement with the associated of said friction surfaces.

7. In a package spring group, the combination with top and bottom spring plates and a plurality of coil springs acting therebetween, of a housing rigid with and upstanding from said bottom spring plate, oppositely facing vertically directed friction surfaces on said housing, a friction shoe yfrictionally engaging each of s-aid surfaces, a well extending vertically through said top spring plate and having defining walls -guidingly received in said housing, spaced levers fulcrumed to said top spring plate in said well and each angleably connected below and to one side of the fulcrum thereof to one of said friction shoes, an upwardly facing spring seat on each of said levers and disposed below and to the side of the fulcrum thereof opposite said friction shoe, cover means movable with said top spring plate 'and removably seated in said well, downwardly facing spring seats on said cover means and each opposing one of said upwardly facing spring seats, and a plurality of springs each acting vertically between opposed of said seats for urging the connected of said shoes into said frictional engagement with the associated of said friction surfaces.

8. In a package spring group, the combination with top and bottom spring plates and coil springs acting therebetween, of a friction surface rigid with land upstanding from said bottom spring plate, a friction shoe member frictionally engaging said surface, an upwardly facing cylindrically concave pocket in said top spring plate, a lever member removably seated in said pocket and fulcrnmed therethrough on said top spring plate, an arcuately concave socket in one of said members and receiving a correspondingly convex surface on the other of said members -below and to one side of said fulcrum of said lever member for angleably -connecting said members, an upwardly facing spring seat on -said lever member below and to the opposite side of the fulcrum thereof from said shoe member, a -downwardly facing spring seat movable with said ltop spring plate, and a vertically acting spring between said spring seats -and acting on said lever member for urging said shoe member into said frictional engagement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 207,020 Dick et al. Aug. 13, 1878 882,279 Washburn Mar. 17, 1908 2,483,181 Clasen Sept. 27, 1949 2,546,215 Dath Mar. 27, 1951 

